Fastest Red Cards in Football History
So after a red card this weekend and a red card after 25 seconds, yes you read that right, a red card after 35 seconds, I suspect most players won’t have even kicked a ball but yet one player was already taking an early bath – if they take baths in 2021. Niang was sent off for a rash tackle, read more further down.
We thought we would take a look at the 10 quickest red cards to see where he ranks.
#11 Steven Gerrard (38 seconds)
With the game at the weekend, Steven now slips outside the top 10 – something I think he might be happy for, but for now we think we will leave him in the list.
Yeah, Steven Gerrard made the top 10 and a red card in an interview he admits he regrets, Gerrard had already announced he was to leave his boyhood club at the end of the season and in his last game against Liverpool’s bitter rival Manchester United he was sent off after 38 seconds.
During the game in 2015, he was benched in the first half and when came on in the second half he lasted just 38 seconds.
He uncharacteristically but intentionally stamped on Ander Heerreerea’s leg.
The referee spotted the stamp and showed him the red card, to make matters worse Liverpool went onto lose the game.
#10 Jason Crowe (33 seconds)
Jason Crowe while he played professionally for almost 20 years he didn’t play much in three Premier League.
Jason started his career with Arsenal, but didn’t really break into the team in the late 1990’s and was constantly sent out of loan before he moved to Portsmouth in 1999.
However while still at Arsenal he got his infamous red card against Birmingham City in 1997. He came on in extra time during the League Cup game when Arsenal was looking for a ‘Super Sub’ and got himself red carded. The right back was sent off for a high-footed challenge on Martin O’Connor. I’m guessing not quite the impact the manager had in mind.
#9 Giulio Migliaccio (32 seconds)
Next we are heading over to Italy and to Atalanta. Migliaccio in 2015 came up against his former side Palermo in the Serie A and when brought on as a second half substitute was dismissed 32 seconds later.
For anyone who watched the game or have seen it back, its clear to see Migliaccio was desperate to prove a point against his former side but he never really got the chance.
Thirty-two (32) seconds after coming on Migliaccio was heading back down the tunnel for an early shower.
He went in for a very reckless tackle.
As he went in for a high ball he planted his leg on the back of his opponent as was given a straight red card.
Whether it was an accident or not, with his foot so high he had no grounds to complain.
It’s not all bad news though, despite being down to 10 Atalanta actually went onto win the game, I guess the dressing down from the manager and team mates isn’t quite as bad if they manage to still pick up three points.
#8 Mouhamed Niang (25 Seconds)
The match at the weekend was between Alloa and Cove Rangers and means Mouhamed makes it into the top 10 fastest red cards.
Mouhamed Niang flew in to an early challenge on Cove’s Shay Logan and was instantly shown a red card just 25 seconds into the match.
Referee Alan Muir felt he had no option but to instantly brandish the red card
#7 Mark Smith (19 seconds)
Yeah we are now sub 20 seconds. England goalkeeper Mark Smith played for a number of clubs mainly in the lower divisions but in 1994 got himself red carded after 19 seconds in a third division game.
At the time he was playing for Crewe Alexandra and Smith got his red card within 19 seconds of the game starting. Some fans haven’t even taken their seat and Smith was already heading for a shower.
The goalkeeper committed a professional foul to deny a goal scoring opportunity.
At the time, it was the fastest red card in football league history from the start of a game, but he is only number 7 on our list.
It’s a tough ask for your teammates to play any part of a game with 10 men, but to do it for an entire 90 mins is hard.
#6 Kevin Pressman (13 seconds)
Another former goalkeeper to make the list Kevin Pressman joins the list of top 10 fastest red cards.
While he never quite made it to the international stage, Kevin Pressman did play over 500 club games so was very good.
You don’t play in goal that many times if you can’t save a ball.
Most of those appearances came for Sheffield Wednesday, over 400 times he pulled on the owl kit but it’s also at the Owls where he got his unwanted record. In fact, Pressman red card is still the fastest red card in football league history and will take some beating.
In a game away at Wolverhampton Wanderers, he attempted being a ball-playing keeper (before it came fashionable with Ederson and Alison among others) and as he came out of his goal area to clear a ball he messed up badly and to stop the ball going past him he used his hands.
The referee Mark Halsey quickly showed him his marching orders and sent him off after just 13 seconds.
Part of me thinks it probably would have been better to let the ball go into the goal, while he would have had a red face his team would have still had 90 mins and all 11 players to try and score.
The game in 2000 did end 1-1 so even though Sheffield Wednesday only had 10 players for the entire game they still managed a decent result.
#5 Giuseppe Lorenzo (10 seconds)
Giuseppe Lorenzo played for just a decade and all in Italy, but was never quite good enough to make it into the national side.
That said, he has his name in the record books, the fastest red card in Italy.
In 1990, during a game between Bologna and Parma Lorenzo was sent off with just 10 seconds on the clock.
It was probably the easiest red card decision the ref had to make as well, Lorenzo decided that it would be a good idea to smack an opposition player in the face.
The ref had no choice, this isn’t ice hockey.
Violence is against the rules of the sport and Lorenzo was off for a cold bath, not that he had probably need one as can’t imagine he got much of a sweat up in 10 seconds.
#4 David Pratt (3 seconds)
Three seconds, yes we are down to single digit seconds and at the start of a game during a Southern Premier League game between Chippenham Town and Bashley in 2009 David Pratt was given his marching orders.
The defender went in for a very early two footed challenge, 3 seconds into the game.
Pratt took out midfielder Chris Knowles with a dangerous tackle which sparked a brawl between players of both teams.
While it was no surprise to see him red carded what is a surprise is that 3 seconds only makes him the fourth fastest sending off.
#3 Lee Todd (2 seconds)
Lee Todd makes into third on the list of the top 10 quickest red cards of all time.
What is surprising about this red card is that it’s not for a dangerous tackle or handball, but for swearing.
Prior to the game the referee had told both sets of players and warned them about foul language and that they would see red, I guess he didn’t expect to use his red card 2 seconds into the game.
During this Sunday League Game between Cross Park Farm and Taunton East Reach the defender was sent off with a foul mouthed rant at the referee.
It is reported that he yelled “f**k me, that was loud!” after the referee blew his whistle for the game to start.
As Todd was close to the ref, the official heard it and decided to send off the defender.
Yeah 2 seconds into the game for telling him his whistle was loud.
#2 Walter Boyd (0 seconds)
Yeah that’s not a miss print, Walter Boyd was sent off after zero seconds.
The former Jamaica international made his way onto our top 10 quickest red cards after being sent off after zero seconds.
Boyd got his sending off when he came on as a substitute in a division Three game in 2000 between Swansea City and Darlington.
Swansea had won a free kick in the 88th minute of the game and were about to cross the ball into the opposition box.
However as the ball was kicked there was a scuffle as there seems to be every time there is a corner or free kick into the box with both sets up players pushing and tugging, but tempers flare and Boyd ends up elbowing an opposition player.
Referee Clive Wilkes saw the elbow and showed the striker the red card.
He was sent on to make an impact, but I’m not sure this is the type of impact the manager had in mind.
There were practically zero seconds on the clock when he was shown his red card.
#1 Keith Gillespie (zero seconds)
The former Northern Ireland winger is at the top of the list of players to have received the fastest red card in football history. Keith Gillespie played for a number of clubs over his professional career including Manchester United while Sir Alex Ferguson was manager.
But it was while playing for Sheffield United that Gillespie got himself added to this list and also has the recorded for the fastest red card in Premier League history in terms of seconds on the pitch, something we don’t think can be beaten.
The blades were facing Reading and Gillespie was introduced as a second half subsite and before the thrown in was taken he elbowed Reading Midfielder Stephen Hunt, play hadn’t even started when he was shown his red card meaning he was sent off after zero seconds.
Bonus
Quickest red card in the Premier League History
We have just covered the fact Keithh Gillespie was shown the quickest red card after coming on as a sub, but who holds the quickest red card in Premier League history from the start of a game.
He was playing for Blackburn Rovers against Leeds United at Elland Road.
That record currently goes to Tim Flowers in 1995.
In just 72 seconds the goalkeeper was shown a straight red card.
Flowers was sent off for a foul on forward Brian Deane.
Somehow they managed to leave Elland rovers with a 1 all draw which proved to be crucial as they went onto win the title that season by 1 point ahead of Manchester United. With United having the better goal difference the red card could really have proved costly.
This was just 4 weeks before the end of the season so could have been a huge turning point in Blackburns history.
